


Shadows

by Lostgirl7988



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Norse Religion & Lore, Thor - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Games, Love, Marriage, Romance, Tricksters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-21
Updated: 2014-04-21
Packaged: 2018-01-20 08:07:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1503095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lostgirl7988/pseuds/Lostgirl7988
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Loki is widely known for his tricks, but only the ones played on his wife end the way he likes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shadows

Torches flickered along the hallway casting long, looming shadows. Most people would consider them to be ominous, but I've lived in the palace for so long that I've grown used to them. Others feared what lurked in the shadows or ran for the safety of the light. I, however, am not like most people. Being married to the God of Mischief will do that to a person.

I continued on my way down the hall, letting my feet follow the path they'd taken countless times before. The bedchamber I shared with Loki was close and I longed for the softness of my sheets. It had been a long day of tedious royal appearances. The schedule itself didn't bother me so much. I loved being able to speak to the people of Asgard and they seemed to love me as their princess. No, it was the dresses that tortured me. The stifling corsets were crushing to my ribs and the layers upon layers of silk were nothing short of sweltering. After every day spent like this I worshiped my thin, simple sleeping gown. I heaved a heavy sigh.

"So close," I whispered. "Then sleep."

I rounded the last corner and shouted in surprise. A man stood in the center of the hallway. His face was hidden by the shadows but there was something familiar about him. I stood in chock and wondered how this man had found himself in mine and Loki's private corridor. If Loki found him he was in for much worse than he'd have from me. I cleared my throat.

"Excuse me, sir," I started, polite but firm. "This is a royal corridor. You'll have to leave. If my husband found you-"

"Oh I wouldn't worry about that, my dear."

As soon as he spoke I recognized his voice. I'd know that silver-tongued rouge anywhere.

"Loki!" I shouted at him, scowling. "You scared me half to death! What are you doing lurking about in the dark?" He chuckled, somehow managing to simultaneously make me want to slap him across his face, and stepped forward. He walked slowly towards me, and then suddenly he was no longer alone. His entire body shimmered gold and, in the blink of an eye, there were two. The pair entered the light and I gasped. Twin Loki's stood before me, both grinning mischievously. I stared back at them and sighed again.

"Gods, Loki, I'm exhausted. What game is this?" Both Loki's smirked. My desire to slap them both only intensified. Finally, one of them spoke.

"A quick and simple game, my love," the left Loki said. "And one with a most magnificent reward."

"If you are able to tell which of us is real and which is the illusion, you win," the Loki to the right added. Both of them smirked again and fell into matching relaxed stances. I groaned. Loki's games were never what they seemed and I was in no mood to play.

"Be warned, sweet wife," left Loki began.

"A wrong answer will lead too..." right Loki continued.

"Punishment." they finished in tandem. The innuendo in his choice of words was not lost on me. Games such as this often ended in a very intriguing way. Sleep was very quickly the last thing on my mine. My eyebrow arched and a small smile played at the corners of my mouth. Loki noticed the change in my demeanor. The pair smiled and stood up a little straighter, awaiting my assessment.

I studied the two men in front of me intently. They were identical to each other in every way. I took a couple steps closer to get a better look at their face. When Loki and I had first married, I had felt so unworthy of him that I had spent hours-no days really-memorizing his features, fearing the day he would come to his senses and leave me. Luckily, that day had never come, and now the memory could be of use. Both copies had the exact same emerald eyes and slick, raven hair. They had matching sharp cheekbones and the same small scar above the left eyebrow Thor had given him after too much ale. I looked them over from top to bottom for several long moments and could find no difference between them. I sighed and readied myself to resign to whatever punishment Loki had concocted. The torches flickered low, the shadows they threw growing longer in the fading light. My eyes grew wide as an idea came to my mind. Smirking, I positioned myself again in front of the pair. They smiled back at me, obviously sensing an impending victory. Without word or warning, I turned on my heel and walked directly to one of the large stone pillars that decorated the corridor. I stepped around it and found a very surprised looking Loki looking back at me. He gasped and took a step back. His eyes locked on mine and the twin illusions vanished. Shock was quickly replaced with pride, and possibly a hint of lust, as Loki grabbed me by the hips and pulled me roughly to him.

"How in all the Nine Realms did you figure that one out? I thought for sure I had you," he laughed. I giggled and leaned into him, feeling his lips on my forehead.

"Shadows," I stated simply.

"What?" Loki pulled back and looked at me utterly bewildered.

"The illusions. They didn't have shadows."

"Damn it," he groaned. "All the details and I forget shadows." Laughter bubbled up in me again as I laid my head against his chest.

"So, what's my reward?" I asked, feigning nonchalance. I quickly found myself swept up into Loki's arms with his lips hard against mine. My arms wrapped around his neck as I pulled myself closer to him. Our lips parted and our foreheads rested together. When he spoke I could hear the grin in his words.

"Don't you worry, darling. Once I have you in the privacy of our chambers I promise you'll receive your prize."

**Author's Note:**

> Another one shot based on a prompt from the imagine Loki tumblr.
> 
> "Imagine a pair of Lokis approaching you to ask which is the real one. If you guess correctly, he will reward you, but if you guess incorrectly, you will be punished. Little do you realize that neither is the real one, and that the real Loki is hiding nearby to play his little trick on you."


End file.
